Guzmania plant named ‘Soledo’

ABSTRACT

A Guzmania plant named ‘Soledo’ particularly characterized by its solid growth habit in a funnel-form rosette measuring approximately 32 cm in height above the pot when flowering. The leaves are numerous and relatively narrow, each approximately 5.0-5.5 cm in width and 34 cm in length. ‘Soledo’ has a superior floral bract production, compound inflorescence, long-lasting habit, and yellow-red floral bracts, which especially distinguishes the new cultivar from others, including the cultivar ‘Red Star’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Guzmaniathat is an inter-specific hybrid, hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name ‘Soledo’.

Guzmania is predominantly epiphytic with a few terrestrial species andis native to the tropics. For the most part, species vary in diameterfrom 7 or 8 inches to 3 or 4 feet and have rosettes of glossy,smooth-edged leaves.

Floral bracts of Guzmania frequently have brilliant colors and may lastfor many months. The range of colors for Guzmania is generally fromyellow through orange but may also include flame red and red-purple.White or yellow, tubular, three-petalled flowers may also appear on astem or within the leaf rosette but are usually short-lived.

Guzmania may be advantageously grown as pot plants for greenhouse orhome use. Desirably, the plants are shaded from direct sunlight, andduring the spring to autumn period, the central vase-like part of theleaf rosette is desirably filled with water.

Guzmania is native to tropical America. Leaves of Guzmania are usuallyformed as basal rosettes, which are stiff and entire and in severalvertical ranks. Guzmania plants have terminal spikes or panicles whichare often bracted with petals united in a tube about as long as thecalyx. The ovary is superior and the seeds plumose.

Asexual propagation of Guzmania is frequently done through the use oftissue culture practices. Propagation can also be from offshootsproduced by the plant which may then be rooted. The resulting plantletsare detached from the mother plant and may be potted in a suitablegrowing mixture.

Methods for cultivation and crossing of Guzmania are well known. For adetailed discussion, reference is made to the following publications,which are incorporated herein by reference: Benzing, David H., THEBIOLOGY OF THE BROMELIADS, Mad River Press, Inc., Eureka (1980); Zimmer,Karl, BROMELIEN, Verlag Paul Parey, Berlin (1986); and Rauh, Werner,BROMELIEN, Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (1981).

The new cultivar ‘Soledo’ is a product of a planned breeding program andwas originated by the inventors from a cross made during such a programin Assendelft, The Netherlands, in 1989. The male or pollen parent was aproprietary selection of Guzmania lingulata identified by Code No.8940920. The female or seed parent was a proprietary selection ofGuzmania squarrosa identified by Code No. 8940906.

The selection which is the variety ‘Soledo’ was chosen aftercommencement of flowering of the progeny of the cross of 8940920×8940906in 1992 in Assendelft, The Netherlands. The selection was firstasexually propagated through offshoots by, or under the supervision of,the inventors in Assendelft, The Netherlands, with subsequent asexualreproduction through the use of tissue culture. Continuous asexualpropagation has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for the new cultivar ‘Soledo’, as observed inAssendelft, The Netherlands, are firmly fixed and reproduce true to typethrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘Soledo’ has not been tested under all available environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentalconditions such as temperature, light intensity, frequency offertilization, composition of fertilizer, acetylene treatment, daylength and humidity without, however, any change in the genotype of thenew cultivar. For example, substantial differences in plant height anddiameter, and the number of leaves, can result depending on the size ofthe plant at the time flowering is induced by acetylene treatment. Sincetreatment with acetylene to induce flowering disrupts normal wateringand fertilization regimens, acetylene treatment of relatively smallerplants adversely affects the growth of the plant.

The closest comparison cultivar is Guzmania ‘Red Star’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 8,613). The most important difference is the color of theinflorescence. The inflorescence of Guzmania ‘Soledo’ is yellow, RHS 12Aand green, RHS 143B in color. Guzmania ‘Red Star’ has bright red scapebracts, RHS 42A through 45A and 45C, and flower petals when visible areyellow, RHS 13C. Plants of the new cultivar differ from its parentsprimarily in plant height.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

‘Soledo’ is particularly characterized by the following characteristics:

1. Steady growth habit in a funnel-form rosette measuring approximately32 cm in height above the pot when flowering;

2. Numerous, relatively narrow leaves, each approximately 5.0-5.5 cm inwidth and 34 cm in length;

3. Superior primary bract production;

4. Compound inflorescence;

5. Floral bracts are yellow-red, which especially distinguishes the newcultivar from others known to the inventors, including the cultivar ‘RedStar’; and

6. Long-lasting leaves and inflorescence color.

Guzmania ‘Soledo’ is a steady, long-lasting hybrid with superiorbract-production and a compound, yellow and green inflorescence thatexhibits good keeping quality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographic illustration shows typicalinflorescence and foliage characteristics of ‘Soledo’, with colors beingas true as possible with illustrations of this type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and in combinationdistinguish ‘Soledo’ as a new and distinct cultivar. These observations,measurements and descriptions were taken of 13 to 15 month old ‘Soledo’plants grown under greenhouse conditions which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.)Colour Chart. The new cultivar flowers approximately 18 weeks aftertreatment with acetylene.

Plant:

Form.—Funnel-form rosette.

Height.—Approximately 32 cm high, when flowering.

Growth habit.—Stemless.

Diameter.—Approximately 54 cm.

Crop time.—It takes approximately 13 to 15 months after potting to havea fully grown, mature plant.

Foliage:

Color.—Upper surface: RHS 147A. Under surface: RHS 147A with RHS 187A.

Size of leaf.—Length: Approximately 34 cm. Width: Approximately 5.0-5.5cm.

Shape of leaf.—Linear-lanceolate.

Surface texture.—Smooth.

Leaf shape.—Broad linear.

Apex.—Acute.

Margin.—Entire.

Orientation.—Leaf blades arch continuously from the base.

Variegation.—None.

Number of leaves.—Approximately 25.

Bracts:

Scape bracts.—Length: The lowest are approximately 32 cm long. The scapebracts just below the primary bracts are approximately 9 cm long. Width:Approximately 4.5-5.5 cm. Number: Approximately 10. General Shape:Lanceolate. Texture: Smooth. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Color: RHS161C (both surfaces).

Primary bracts.—Length: The lowest are approximately 9 cm long. Thebracts progress upwardly, they become shorter, with the top primarybracts being approximately 4 cm in length. Width: Approximately 3.0-5.0cm. Number: Approximately 10. General shape: Lanceolate. Texture:Smooth. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Color: Red RHS 53B and yellow RHS12B (both surfaces); red apices 53B, green apices RHS 161C.

Top primary bracts.—Apex: Acute. Color: RHS 12A (both surfaces).

Flowers:

Borne (stalks).—Erect.

Type of inflorescence.—Compound.

Form.—Panicle.

Size of inflorescence on stalk.—Approximately 12 cm high andapproximately 15 cm in diameter.

Individual petals.—(Mostly disposed within the floral bracts hiddenbehind the primary bracts). Length: Approximately 4.0-4.5 cm. Width:Approximately 0.5 cm. Quantity: Approximately 60 flowers divided overapproximately 10 branches depending on the size of the plant. Color:Yellow, RHS 17A (both surfaces).

Time of blooming.—A fully grown plant can bloom throughtout the entireyear starting approximately eighteen (18) weeks after natural inductionor through treatment with acetylene.

Duration of blooms.—Each flower blooms one (1) day; with several flowersblooming, the total of blooming time for the plant is approximately five(5) weeks.

Reproductive organs:

Ovaries.—Superior.

Stamens.—Six (6) in number.

Seed characteristics: Sterile hybrid, therefore, no seed or fruitproduced.

Pest/disease resistance/susceptibility: No observations made to date.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Guzmania plant named‘Soledo’, substantially as illustrated and described.